mjlxim



7 Sheets-'Shet I.

(No Model.)

H. s. MAXIM. AUTOMATIC GUN.

Paftented Mai. 3, 1891.

' (N0 Modi.) 7 sheets-sheet 2.

- H s. MAXIM.

AUTOMATIC GUN. N0. 447,524. Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

7 Sheets-She-t 3.

(No Model.)

H. S. MAXIM. AUTOMATIG GUN.

,No.-447,524. Patent d Mar. a, 1891.

'7 sneets sneet 4..

m G 0 n A Sm w HA q d 0 M 0 W No. 447,524. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

Ill 47 07 6? mo Modl'.)

7 Sheets--Sheet 5.

H. s. MAXIM. AUTOMATIC mm.

' Patented Mar. 3, I891.

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I t I I I I I I i I (No Model.)

.7 7 Sheets-Sheet 6. H. S. MAXIM. AUTOMATIC GUN.

4 Patented Mar. 3, 1891 (No-Mbdel.) 7 SheetsSheet 7.

H. S. MAXIM.

' AUTOMATIC GUN. I No 447,524. Patented Mar. 3,1891.

1/62; 1 an; 66 A UNITED f STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

IIIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, or LoNDomnscLAnn.

AUTOMATIC GU N.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,524, dated March 3,1891.

Application filed June 10, 1890- Serial No. 354,930. (No model.)Patented in England October 13, 1886, No. 13.083; in Belglum October15,1887,No. 79,005; in ItalyNovember 26,1887, No. 22,500: in FranceDecember 14, 1887, no. 185,641; in Austria- Hungary Aprn2l, 1888, No.34,166, and in Germany August 24, 1888, No. 44,208.

To all whom 'it may concern.

Be it known that I, HIRAM STEVENS MAXIM, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of London, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Guns, (for which I have, obtained patents inthe following countries: in Great Britain,No. 13,083; dated October 13,1886 iniFrance, No. 185,641, dated December 11, 1887; in Belgium, No.70,005, dated October 15, 1887; in Germany, No. 447,208, dated August24, 1888; in Austria-Hungary, No. 34,166, dated April 21, 1888, and inItaly, No. 22,500, dated Nocompanying drawings.

. cooling the barrel of-a gun by means of Water verse section on theline as, Fig. 1.

vember 26, 1887,) of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the ac- My present inventi n relates to means for or othersuitable liquid contained in a reservoir arranged above, below, or atone side of the barrel and injected at intervals into a 'suitablecasingaround t-he'same. 'For this purpose I combine with the said casing andreservoir means whereby at each discharge of the gun communication willbe established between the said reservoir and easing by the pulling ofthe trigger or by the movement of the barrel or other part of the gun orin any other convenient manner, so that a small quantity of the water orother liquid may flow under the action of gravity into the said casing rmay be forced therein by means of compressed air or by means of a pump,-the piston of which consists of an enlargetion a gun-barrel providedwith means, here-' inafter described, for cooling the same while the gunis in use for firing. Fig. 3 is atra'ns- Fig. i is a side elevation,partly in vertical central section, showing apparatus for cooling thebarrel while thegun-is in use for firing. Fig. 5 isa vertical centralsection of part of the said apparatus, drawn to an enlarged scale. Fig.6 -is a vertical longitudinal central sectionshowing a modification ofmyinvention.

'tion showing another modification thereof. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation,and Fig. 9 is a transverse section, showing details of construqtion.Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal central section illustrating anothermodification of my said invention. Fig. 11 is avertical longitudinalsection; Fig. 12, an end elevation showing details of construction. Fig.13 is a vertical longitudinal central section illustrating afurthermodification of my said invention. Fig. 11 is a transversesection on the line 0c 00', Fig. 13. "Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectionof the gun shown in Fig. 1 in position on its frame.

Like numerals indicate correspon throughout the drawings.

Referring to the figures, lis a casing. which is firmly attached to thegun-frame 2 and which st'irrounds the barrel 3.

4: is a tube which is fixed upon the barrel and slides therewith in thesaid frame. A

dingparts to a reservoir 6, Figs. at and 7, and is provided with avalve7. The reservoir 6 is designed to contain water or other suitableliquid for cooling the barrel, and is formed in the gun carriage ormounting, as shown, although Without departure from the invention a separate and similarly-connected reservoir may be employed; The valve 7consists of a rod or s'pindlehaving a conical end and extending througha stufiing-box 8. The said valve 7 is connected in an ysuitable mannerwith a part of the gun that hasa'definite movement relatively to theotherparts at each discharge of the gun, as hereinafter described, sothat it will be opened and closed bythe movement of such part.

The reservoir 6, Figsa and 7, has a pipetl, extending from the top to orncarlyto the bottom thereoff The tube 4 is made with an elongated slot10, so that there will always be an opening ror the flow of the water orother liquid from the pipe or passage 5 into the said tube,notwithstanding the to-and-fro movement of the barrel. To provide forefiectually cooling the rear part of the barrel, this tube is made toFig.7 is a ,vertical longitudinal central secpipe or passage 5 extendsfrom the casing 1' J said compartments. These partitions are adringsorannular pieces apart and permit the -passage of the water or otherliquid between extend the breech end thereof andpis,

closed at its forward end by, a ring or annular piece 11, havi-nga smallaperture 12 above the barrel, and also, iftdesired, at each sidethereof. the tube 4 must flow around' the breech end of the barrelbefore'it can escape from the said tube into the main portion of thecasing f 1.- I prefer,- moreover, to provide at suitable 1 5titionsformed of annular pieces 13, which di-- vide the saidcasing intocompartments, leav-- intervals'alongthe barrel? and easing 1 paringapertures 14 above o'ra't one or both sides of the barrel to permit thehow of the water or other liquid from one to another of the vantageouslyconstructed, as shown in Figs.

8 and 9that is to say,.a ring or annular piece 15, adapted tofit-closely around the barrel, is attached by means of distance:

- pieces 17' to another ring or annular-piece 16,

' designed to be secured in the casing 1', and of v such internaldiameter that when secured in the said casing. it will not touch thebarrel. The distance-pieces '17 keep the said two lthem. Bymeans of theabove-described partiti'ons the flow of the liquid from the reartoretarded. Suitable aperturesare formed inthe forward endofthe casingl isimpeded or the forward .end of the casing 1 above the barrel fortheescape of thewater from the said casi-ng.

The reservoir 6 is to be partially filled with water or -other suitableliquid, and air is 'then to be pumped or forced therein until itjscompressed to such an extent that by its expansion it will force theliquid 'out of the reservoir through the pipe-.9 into the casing 1 whenthe valve 7 ,is opened.- Therefore when the trigger is pulled to firethe gun asm'all quantity of water will be injected into the casing 1 andwill pass through the said casing from end toend,thereby,efiectuallycooling the barrel while the gun is in use forfiring.

To,.provide fer the introduction 'of the liq-' aid and the compressedair into the reservoir 6 I insert in the side of the said reservoir asocket or hollow plug 18, provided with a valve 19-,wh'ich opens inward,and which is held upon its seat by a spring 20. The said socket is,moreover, provided with a screw-cap or plug 21 for' tightl 'y closingthe same. To charge the reservoir 6 the screw-cap or plug 21 is first,removed, and the nozzle of a supplypipe is .screwed into the saidsocket- 18 until its extremity comes in contact with the outer end a ofthe valve 19 and pushes the said valve away from its seat. The'desiredquantity of water is then introduced into the said 'reser-- voir throughthis supply-.pipe' The'said pipe is then removed from the socket 18, andthe l sprin 20 'by'itsreaction' closes the valve 19.

Anot. or pipe is then connected withthe said. socket 18,. anduairisppinped; or. otherwise forced into the reservoir 6 until the requiredpressure therein is attained Therefore -the water which enters mittingthe entrance of the air, but preventing escape thereof.

. I prefer to provide means whereby communication between the reservoir6 and the pipe ,the-valve 19 peror passage 5 will be automaticallyestablished 1 in the act of placing the gun upon its mounting. Forthispurpose I employ a device such asthat shown in Figs t and 5;in which 22isv a hollow cylinder screwed into the upper'end of'th'e reservoir 6. 23is a piston fitted to slide up and down in the said'bylinder'and' formedor provided with an extension or stem 24,

which is fitted to slide in an aperture or-pasjsage 25, wherebycommunication is established between the'said cylinder 22 and thereservoir 6.

26 is another piston also fitted to slide up and downin the cylinder 22above the piston 23. An india-rubbervalve 27 is inserted in the upperend 0 the said cylinder and is I firmly secured therein by means of ascrewcap 28; The uppersurface of the piston 26 forms a seat for thevalve 27, and a sprin'g29. isarranged between thepistons 23 26 and tendsto press the piston 26 upward against the valve 2.7 and: to press thepiston 23 down ward. 7

- 9s 30 is a hollow stem which is screwed into a socket 31, firmlyattached to the gun-frame and having the passage 5 formed therein.

forming a part of the gun-mounting and sur-- rounding the cylinden22.The pistons 23 26- havp small non-see 34 formed therein to per- '27 anddepresses the piston 26, thus allowing This socket is adapted tofit upona casing 32,

rco

its monnt- IIO the liquid to pass freely from the reservoir 6 into thepassage 5. When the valve 27 is izlosed, the pressure in'the cylinder 22will be equal .to "the pressure in' the reservoir 6. Therefore'thepiston 23 will remain at the lower end of its stroke. When, however, the

valve 27 is opened, as above described, water will flow from thecylinder 22 into the casing around-the barrel more rapidly than it canflow fromthe reservoir 6 through the hole 33.

Consequenfly the pressure above the piston 23 will be diminished andthesaid piston will rise, thereby compressing the spring 29 andpartially closing or contracting the passage 25. ;As the pressure abovethe piston 23 increases, the spring 29 by its reaction moves the saidpiston downward, thereby again opening the passage 25.v Theabove-described device therefore constitutes a reducing-valve, wherebythe flow of water is accurately regulated or controlled, as required.

The'reservoir may be of various designs, ace

- cording to the characterof the gun-mounting.

In Fig. 7, for example, itis in the form of an elongated cylinderforming. part of a tripodframe or mounting for the gun.

It a reservoir of cooling-liquid independent of the gun be employed, theconnection will' be made to it through the nozzle 70, Fig. 15.

()n the other hand, if the support for the gun be itself or'contain thereservoir, as in Figs.

' and closed by a screw-cap 74. I

In some instances I provide means whereby the opening or openings forthe passage of the water may be increased or diminished at will toregulate the speed of firing, as here inatter described.

In Figs. 10, 11, and 12 I have shownapump anddevices whereby the samewill be operated in the to-and-fro movement of the barrel to draw liquidfrom a tank or reservoir and force it into the casing 1 around thebarrel.

The breech end of the barrel 3 is fitted into a cylinder 36 at the rearof the casing 1, and a piston-ring or packing-ring 37 is fitted in agroove in the said barrel. The cylinder 36 is connected with the saidtank or reservoir by means of a pipe or passage 38, provided with acheck-valve 39, and with the casing 1 by means of a pipe or passage 40,provided with a check-valve 41.- A sliding rod 42 is so arranged, incombination With the valve 39, that when the barrel after its recoilreturns to the firing position a projection thereon (shown creased ordiminished and the velocity of the in dotted lines in Fig. 10 and marked64) will push forward the said sliding rod 42 and open the valve 39.

The barrel in its recoil will draw liquid from the tank or reservoirthrough the said valve into the cylinder 36 and will in its forward orreturn movement deliver the said liquid through the valve 41 into thecasing 1.

To provide for regulating the speed of firing, I sometimes make thevalve 41 with a screw-th readed spindle 43, extending throughi astuffing-box 44 and provided with ascrew-" nut 45, by turning which inone or'the other direction the lift of the said valve maybe inforward orreturn movement of the barrel ithus regulated.

In the modificationof myinvention shown in-Figs. 13 and 14 a plunger 46is fixed in a bracket 47, formed on or attached to the barrel 3 andextending downward therefrom.

, This plunger works in a cylinder 36,connected with the water tank orreservoir by means of a pipe or passage 38, provided with a checkvalve39, and with the casing 1 .by'means of 'a pipe or passage 40, providedwith a checkvalve 41. The two ends of the said cylinder are, moreover,connected by means of a pipe or passage 51 the flow of liquidthrougllwhich maybe regulated by means of a rod or plunwger 52, which iscurved at its forward end, as

shown, (or may be inclined, if desired) and which works in astuffing-box 53 atther'ear end of the said pipe or passage 51.. This rodor plunger is acted upon by aspring 54, which tends to pull it outward.It is connected by means of arod or bar 55 with a lever 56, pivoted at57 to the rear end of the frame 2, a pin or stud 58 being fixed in onearm of the said lever and working in a slot 59 in the said rod or bar55. The other arm of the said lc- 8o ver 56 is coupled to ascrew-threaded rod 60, extending through there'ar end of the frame 2 andprovided with an adjusting-nut 61-. By turning this nut in one or theother direction the position of the forward endof the plunger 52relatively-to the part 62 of the passage 51 may be altered, so as toincrease or diminish the opening for the flow of liquid from one to theother end of the cylinder 36.

The plunger 46 is provided with a perfo rated piston 48, held against aflange or collar 49 on the plunger 46 by means ofa spring 50:

The forward part of'the cylinder 36 is of considerably greater diameterthan the pis-' ton 48. The rear part of the said cylinder is, however,of such diameter that the piston will fit and slide therein. 3

The operation of the device above described is as follows-that is tosay, assuming the .partsto be in the firing position, as shown, I00

and the whole of the available space in the cylinder 36 and passage 51to be filled or nearly filled with liquid, in the recoil the plunger 46will be partially withdrawn from the said cylinder, and more liquid willthus be drawn into the said cylinder from the tank or reservoir. As soonas the piston 48 reaches the smaller part of the cylinder 36 the liquidbehind the piston will fiow through the passage 51 into the space infront of the said piston; or should 1 10 the said passage be nearlyclosed by the plunger 52 the spring 50 will be compressed and the liquidwilt flow through the perfo- I rated piston 48. In the forward or returnbe forced into the cylinder 36. The holes in the piston 48 will beclosed by the flange or collar 49, so that while the said 'piston is inthe smaller part of the 'cylinden'th'e'liquid in front of the pistonmust flow through the pas- "I 2 sage 51 into the space behind thepiston. The velocity of the forward or return movement of the barrel,and consequently the speed of firing, will therefore depend upon theextent of opening of the part 62 of the said passage.

The plunger 46, as it is pushed into the cyl- 'inder 36, displaces someof the liquid there: from and forces the same into the casing 1 for thepurpose of coolingthe barrehas above specified. r y e It will be seenfrom the foregoing description that the speed of firing can be veryaccurately regulated or determined by adj usting the nut 61.

movement of the barrel the plunger 46 will :15

' The general form of the gun or casing is -illustrated -in .Fig. 15. Tothe trigger 67- in this gun'is pivoted a rod 69, which passes fora wardthrough the rear "wallof the gun-casing. .-The end of. said rod isprovidedwith a gsuitableihead.68,"which is normally thrown '-.forward bya spiral spring 63, surrounding the rod'69. To, this ,rod, or anyequivalent therefor'the valve mechanism 7, Figs, l and 6, is'or maybeconnected and the necessary movement imparted thereto by the movementsofthe triggerrflf x Havingfnow particularly described and as-' Htcertained the nature of my invention and in r what manner the same isto be performed, I

, declare that-what Iqclaimis", a

1. In'a machine-gun, thecombination, with the barrel, the breechmechanism, anda part movable by or in the operation of the gun, 'ota.casing or chamber surrounding the barrelandprovided with an inlet and anoutlet,

a reservoir of water or cooling liquid connect-- ing with the saidchamber, and a valve intermediate to the reservoir andcham'ber forcontrollingthe communication between the same, said valve beingconnected with and controlled by the said movable'part, as set forth. 72. In a machine gun, the combination, with the barrel, the breechmechanism, and a part movable by' or in the operation of the gun, of acasing or chamber surrounding the barrel v andlprovided with an 'iril etand an outlet,'a res ervoir of waterorcooling liquid underpressure'conn'ecting with'the said chamber, and a valve intermediate to-the reservoir and chamher for controlling the communication be 4 tweenthe same, said valve being connected 1 with and controlled by the saidmovable part,

asset'forth.- 1

The combinatiomin a gun, with a cham-' ber oifcasing surrounding thebarrel and provided with an inlet and an outlet, of a reservoir orreceptacle containing water or cooling 7 liquid and formed or attachedto the gun car- '45 friage ormonnting and connected with the. chamber,and; a valve for controlling oredect-- ing the flow of water from said,reservoir into the cham'ber; surrounding the barrel and deopart ofthejgun', as set forth.

equivalent} moving forth.

. when the said casing and reservoir are brought .ber or casingsurrounding the barrel, of a res- I matic red'ucing'valve for regulatingthe'fiow 'port for such chamber, of a reservoir for consigned my name inthe pre pendent for operation upon the movement of a .7 f or e ingsurrounding the barrel and'providcd with an inlet and an out-let, of areservoir-ot liquid communicating therewith, and a valve for controllingthe flow of liquid from '55 the reservoir to .the chamber surroundingthe barrel connecting or engaging with the trig-' ger, whereby saidvalve will be opened by the movement of the trigger in discharging thegun, as set forth. 5?, The combination, in a gun, with achamber'orcasing surrounding the barrel, of an air-tight reservoircontaining a cooling fluid and compressed air, a passage ofcom'munication betwe'enflthe reservoir and the said cham- '65 ber,-avalve contained therein, and connection between the same and the triggeror! part of 'the gun as set. a

6. The. combination, with a gun having a 7c chamber or casingsurrounding the barrel and provided with an inlet port or passage, of areservoir containing a cooling fluid and a selfclosing or automaticoutlet-valve for said reservoir, adapted to be freed and held open bythe inlet-port of the casing around the barrels into'communication, asset forth. V

, 7. In a gun, the combination, with a cham-' ervoir containing acooling fluid, means for opening and closing communication between thereservoir and the casing, and an autoof liquid when suchcommunicationtis established,-as' set forth.- r v 8. The combiuat'ion,with a gun-barrel, a chamber or casing surrounding the same,and a hollowperforated stem forming the iiilet- 9C tainin'g a cooling liquid, anindia-rubber valveseat surrounding the outlet of such reservoir,

anda spring-impelled valve for closing the outlet and adapted to beforced otf its seat and opened by the tubulars'tem when the gun andreservoir are associated, in the manfler describedr ,J lir testimonywhereof I have hereunto.

ence of two subscribing witnesses.

' STEVENS MAXIM.

, HIBAM Witnesses: v

DAVID YOUNG,

A, E. NIXON.

